TR: Chamonix ::::EPIC SPRING SKIING::: -2006.05.11
Good stuff on the hill today. Idris, Redskea, the South Africas, the Swedes, and two crazy Americans caught the "Special Alpinist" 8 AM only morning run of the Grand Montets cablecar. I counted exactly three "alpinists" and around a hundred local freeriders with no intention of doing anything else other than skiing straight back down. Snow quite thick but perhaps a meter or more fresh that you just sink down into. Making for some excellent turns and then even good fun on the Pierre a Ric all the way from summit to parking lot. Ka-ching on 6200ft of vert even though the place is "closed for the season".
Lunch break and waffling, caffiene injection, Idris and I hit up the Midi. Idris heads off solo to do the Col du Plan and I splinter off to do the Glaciar Rond with a random French dude we met on the lift. Some icy patches, but generally ~amazing~... somewhat heavy pow around a meter deep on a sustained 40-45 degree, 800m slope. Ka-ching, 5000ft more vert.
The French dude wants to do the Col du Plan, so up again we go. The fixed lines on the Midi Arete are down but in a meter of pow, we're skiing right from the gate along the ridge with little difficulty. Col du Plan ironically (for Idris) way more icy than the Glaciar Rond, with big bits having avalanched down to the glacial base. But some good turns and later down some rip-roaring wide fast spring freshie turns. Ka-ching, 6200ft more thank you pull through.
TOTAL: 6200 + 5000 + 6200 = 17400ft (5600m) of fresh tracks, mid-May in the Alps.
YES.
